Buffy Season 8
by btvs312
Summary: New Chapter Up! My version of what happened after 'Chosen'. I changed the names of the chapters, but what's in them is still the same.
1. Episodes 1&2: New Beginnings

_*Author's Note/Disclaimer:  This story is set post-chosen and is slightly AU for the fact that in this story __Anya__ didn't die – she made it out of the school with __Andrew__.  Also, some scenes and dialogue are taken directly from Buffy or __Angel__ episodes.  I do not own any of the characters.  This is my first fic so please be kind – it's probably not very good lol.  Please review._

_*Summary: This story picks up where "__Chosen__" ended and is my version of what happened next. BS _

"Yeah, Buffy, what are we gonna do now?"  Her friends all asked her as she stared at the huge crater that used to be their home.  She thought for a moment and a smile played across her face.  _I'm free_, she realized.  _I don't _have_ to do anything.  For the first time in eight years, I don't have any duties or responsibilities. _The shock of everything that had just happened hadn't really set in yet.  All she could think about was that she didn't have to be the "chosen one" anymore.

"Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I seriously need a shower before I even _think_ about what we're gonna do next," Faith replied.  The others nodded in agreement. 

"I know, I am totally covered in uber-vamp dust," Kennedy added. 

"Well, first things first; let's get to… somewhere so we can get all cleaned up and regrouped, and then we'll talk about what's next."  Giles smiled and everyone walked back to the school bus and piled in.

"Ooo, I know!  We can go to LA and stay at Angel's hotel.  They'll definitely have enough rooms for us, and it's free," Willow said.

"Alright, LA it is," Wood tried to sit up behind the wheel and start the engine.

"Whoa, I don't think so, Mr. Mortally Wounded.  Better let the guy with no depth perception drive us to safety.  You go relax in the back."  Xander helped Wood stand up and Faith escorted him to an empty seat in the middle of the bus.  Once everyone was in, Xander shifted the bus into gear and started off towards Los Angeles.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

"Angel, I think we've got company," Fred called out across the lobby of the hotel.

"Who is it?  The first?" he asked as he crossed over to her.

"It looks like an army," she replied.  

"Is it the turok-han?"  Wesley asked.  Wes, Lorne, and Gunn were gripping their weapons and poised to attack.  Angel had warned them that the fight may come to them, and they were going to be ready.  

"Not exactly…" she trailed off as Angel reached the window, and they both watched as the stream of girls unloaded from the school bus.  He held his much unneeded breath as he saw first the Watcher, then the Scoobies, then Faith carrying an injured man, walk down the steps of the bus.  

"Buffy," he released his breath as she finally came into view.  She didn't look too badly injured.

"Does this mean we don't get to kill anything?"  Gunn asked from his position by the reception desk.  The three men relaxed a bit and the front doors of the hotel opened to reveal a smiling Willow.

"Hey guys!" she greeted them cheerfully, "Got room for about thirty-or-so?"  The new Slayers started to spill into the hotel around her.  When Buffy entered she spotted Angel and ran to him.

"What happened?" he asked as he pulled her into his arms.  "Did we win?"

"It's over," she replied happily into his shoulder and hugged him.  "It's all over."

"Where's Spike?" he asked, looking around.  She raised her head to look at him but her eyes started to water so she looked back down.  She had been trying not to think about him, about what he had done… 

"Hello all.  Angel," Giles said walking over to them.  "Why don't we get everyone settled and then we can fill you all in."

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

An hour or so later everyone had been given a room, and the more seriously injured, including Wood, had been taken to the hospital.  Angel, Wes, Fred, Gunn, and Lorne all sat in Angel's office listening to the story of what had happened.  With all the different people talking it was hard to make sense of everything that was being said.  Angel was the first to speak.

"So, let me get this straight.  You opened the hellmouth and went inside while Willow turned all of the potential slayers into real slayers.  Then you fought the vampire army until the necklace I gave you, that Spike was wearing, lit up and killed them all, and you blew up the school again?"

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up."  Willow replied.

"Except you left out the 'friends-and-loved-ones-getting-hurt-and-killed' part," Xander added casually.

"And the whole town blew up, not just the school." Buffy said.  Willow nodded.

"So, no more Sunnydale," Wes said thoughtfully.

"Nope.  Just a big, gaping hole of nothing."  

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~


	2. New Beginnings: chapter 2

****

---

Later that night Buffy sat in the garden, staring at the sky. One hand unconsciously rested on her stomach where she had been stabbed.

"You okay?" a voice from behind her asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It should heal in a couple days." She didn't turn to face him as she talked.

"I wasn't talking about your wound."

"I know," she said quietly and looked down at her feet. Angel rested his hand on her shoulder and sat down beside her on the bench. "You should have seen him. He was like a hero. He saved the world." Angel stroked her hair and she leaned into him. "It's just… it's not fair. Why did he have to die now? He practically just got his soul; he could have been a good man… I'm not ready for him to be gone. He told me would never leave."

"I know. It's not fair. But the PTB have a reason for everything they do. Maybe by sacrificing himself he was making up for all the evil he had done. Maybe now he can finally be at peace."

"I just miss him so much."

Angel continued to comfort Buffy as best he could. They stayed there for what seemed like forever, just sitting and thinking. Angel hadn't exactly gotten along with Spike in the past few years - and that was the understatement of the year - but Spike was his childe. They had spent over a lifetime together, and he had loved him, even though he would never admit it. It was just starting to sink in that he was really gone.

---

Late at night, there was a slight movement at the bottom of the crater that used to be Sunnydale. A piece of debris was pushed aside revealing a dark figure beneath it. The figure opened his eyes and found himself staring up at the stars. He rolled to his side and attempted to rise, but was very weak and only made it to his knees. Running a hand through his white-blond hair, Spike looked around and all he could see was walls of earth and debris that rose for what seemed like miles around him. He was disoriented and confused at first, but slowly everything started to come back to him.

There was a fight. The army of turok-han had attacked them. He remembered fighting, seeing the potentials change and start to overpower the vamps. He remembered the necklace starting to glow and the light killing all the vampires. Then the school was collapsing and he couldn't remember much after that. Oh wait; Buffy… she held his hand and it started to flame. She said she loved him. Then the necklace was killing him… Hadn't he turned to dust? Well he must not have, he was still alive after all; well, un-alive anyway.

But _how_ was he still alive? _It looks as if the whole bloody town collapsed, _he thought as he looked around. _Well, who knows what time it is? If I don't get out of here before the sun comes up I won't _have_ to worry about why I'm still here._ After he regained some of his strength he stood up and started to climb.

---

Back in LA, the Scooby gang was sprawled out in one of the hotel's many bedrooms. Buffy, Xander, and Anya sat on the bed, Giles leaned against a desk, Andrew stood next to him, and Willow and Kennedy sat at a small table holding hands. Faith was still at the hospital with Wood.

"Ok, everyone is all showered, fed, and rested. _Now _can we talk about what we're gonna do?" Dawn asked as she flopped onto the bed beside her sister.

"Yes, I think that's a very good idea." Giles said.

"Well, we've just saved the world for about the billionth time, I say we all deserve a good vacation. Or a party, or something," Xander added.

"I agree," she said and gave him a smile.

"Well, just because we closed one hellmouth and averted another apocalypse doesn't mean that the world is free from evil. We still have a lot of work to do," Giles told the group. "All of the potentials that were turned into slayers need to be found and trained, and, and we are all homeless and jobless now, and let's not forget the hellmouth in Cleveland…" Everyone in the room groaned, or sighed, or rolled their eyes.

"There are, like, a billion slayers now. There's no way were gonna be able to find them all," Dawn replied.

"Well, no, of course not. Not all of them," he told her. "However, those girls now have this great power and they aren't going to know what it is or what to do with it. They'll need guidance and resources, just like Buffy and Faith and every Slayer before them had."

"So, what, we're thinking like rebuild the Council?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, yes actually, that's what I was thinking. Only it would be more of a school; a place to train and educate the Slayers."

"I could teach them witchcraft!" Willow exclaimed.

"And I could teach them how to fix windows," Xander added.

"I could teach them vengeance!" Anya said a bit too enthusiastically, which earned her looks from Buffy and Giles. Xander just shook his head. "Or not."

"Rupert Giles' School for Gifted Youngsters," Andrew commented to no one in particular and received weird looks from the others in the room. "Like in X-Men…" he tried to clarify. They just ignored him.

"And how exactly are we gonna pay for all of this?" Kennedy asked the group. "I mean, I hate to be Reality Girl here, but none of us have jobs anymore and we all need new homes and…,"

"Clothes," Dawn cut in.

"And cars," Buffy said.

"I could use another eye," Xander supplied.

"Well, now that you bring it up," Giles started taking off his glasses. "The Council has a rather large bank account that every Watcher has access to. It was established for situations, much like the one we're in, so that if anything should happen to the Council there would be resources available to restore it. Being that I am currently the only member of the Council living, I am technically entitled to the entire contents of that account. There should be enough in there to not only rebuild the Council Headquarters, but to get us all back on our feet as well."

"Well, that's great," Willow commented. "So now we need to decide on the specifics of this new Council-School thing, right? Like what to call it, how we'll run it, where it will be…"

"What do you mean, 'where it will be'? It'll be in England, of course, just like the old Council," Giles interrupted.

"Says who?" Willow countered. "Why should we have to go halfway across the world? We can have it right here in California." This started a heated debate between the two. Finally Buffy broke in and stopped them.

"We'll just have to vote on it," she told them. They all voted and, much to Giles's dismay, they decided to stay in California. They then decided on the rest of the specifics about the school with surprisingly few arguments.

---

When he finally reached the top of the crater Spike walked down the road until he found an abandoned, boarded up gas station. He kicked the door open and stumbled in. In the back he found a room with no windows and threw himself down onto a pile of folded boxes that would serve as his bed for the night.


	3. New Beginnings: chapter 3

****

_---_

_"__Buffy, come on!" Faith yelled down to her._

_"Gotta move, lamb.__ I think it's fair to say school's out for bloody summer," Spike told her. _

_"Spike!" she said worriedly. _

_"I mean it! I gotta do this." He replied and held out his hand to stop her. She laced her fingers through Spike's, and they burst into flame together. She looked into his eyes._

_"I love you," she told him softly. _

_"No, you don't. But thanks for saying it." Another earthquake shook the hellmouth. Buffy let go of his hand. "Now go!" She turned and ran up the stairs and out of the hellmouth. "I wanna see how it ends." _

_When she got to the top of the stairs she noticed that she wasn't in the school; she was back in her room at __Angel__'s hotel. She looked around and watched as the stairway that she had just come up disappeared. _What's going on?_ She thought. There was a knock on the door so she walked over and opened it, and was shocked to see what was on the other side._

_"Spike?"__ She couldn't believe it. "You're back!" She closed the few feet between them and threw her arms around his neck. He returned the hug by wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling his face into her neck._

_"I told you I'd never leave you," he replied. She pulled back to look at him, and she held his eyes for a moment. He leaned in to kiss her and just as their lips touched her she awoke._

Her eyes snapped open. Her heartbeat was racing and she was breathing heavily. _Just a dream,_ she thought to herself as she stared up at the ceiling. This one was different, though. She had been having many dreams about Spike and the battle, but they had never ended like that. Usually he died at the end, or she saved him, but he never came _back_. It was so real. Like she could actually feel him and smell him. _A slayer dream?_She let herself hope for a moment, before pushing the thought away. She sighed and tried to fall back asleep.

---

Hours later Spike awoke, very sore and a bit disoriented. He sensed that the sun was up and a clock on the wall told him it was about noon. He also realized that he was incredibly hungry and that he felt like he hadn't showered in years. He went up to the front of the store to try to find a bathroom and when he found it he turned on the sink, took off his shirt, and started to wash up.

To his surprise he caught a glimpse of someone in the mirror above the sink, but when he turned around there was no one there. He walked back into the store, but still he found no one. _Probably the manager, _he thought.

"Hey!" he called out. "Who's there?" No response. He shrugged and went back to the bathroom. Just as before, when he looked in the mirror, there was someone there. _Well you won't get away this time_; he thought and stared right back at the reflection. It didn't move. Spike squinted his eyes and reflexively tilted his head to the side – and so did the person in the mirror! Again he spun around, and again he found no one. _Bloody hell, what is this?_

Spike cautiously raised his arm and touched the mirror, and so did the reflection. After a few minutes of making various gestures and facial expressions in the mirror, he decided that it was, indeed, his own reflection that he was seeing.

"Well, isn't this an interesting development," he said to his reflection and ran a hand through his hair. "Damn, I'm even sexier than I remember." He smirked and proceeded to make more gestures and facial expressions in the mirror.

**---**


	4. New Beginnings: chapter 4

****

---

Back in the gas station, Spike was trying to make sense of his new discovery.

"Vampires don't have bloody reflections, and they certainly don't just grow them. So what, a spell then? Somebody put a spell on me to give me a reflection? That doesn't make any sense," Spike was talking to himself. "This is ridiculous. The watcher will know; or the witch."

He picked up the phone and started to dial the Magic Box, but stopped when he remembered that not many hours ago he had climbed out of the hole that was Sunnyhell. There was nothing left, and he was certain that anyone who had still been in town hadn't survived what happened either. Well, except him. He didn't know if any of them were still alive. He'd seen them all run up to the school, sure, but he had no idea if they'd made it out of town in time. All of a sudden he felt sick at the thought of his love, his Buffy, along with the bit and Red and even the Boy, lying dead in that hole.

_Well, I'll go back and look as soon as the sun's down and make sure, _he thought with resolve. Then another voice entered his head, _'Don't be a stupid git. You barely managed to get out of there before. You're not going back in.' 'But what if they're all trapped down there, dying?' 'And what if you get your self trapped or killed down there?' _

"Alright, fine. So what then; what do I do now? Well, now I have to find them. Think Spike, if they did make it out of town where would they go?" He was pacing the room and trying to come up with some answers. "Angel! She would go see Angel," he concluded (a bit resentfully) and set about making plans to get himself to LA.

---

That night, when the sun had set, Spike set out down the road towards LA. Even he could admit that his plan wasn't the best. It basically consisted of him walking down the road and hoping someone would come along, pick him up, and give him a ride. And seeing as how the nearest town had just collapsed, it didn't look very promising. As he walked all he could think of was Buffy. He thought of all of the memories they shared, happy and sad and all the other times, and it helped to pass the time.

Then he remembered that she told him she loved him. For years all he wanted to hear her say were those words, and now she had. He knew she didn't mean it of course, but it still meant a lot to him. In fact, it was the best moment of his entire existence.

Spike's thoughts were interrupted by headlights flashing through the dark. He stuck out his thumb and the car slowed down and stopped beside him. He opened the door and looked in – to find a little old lady wearing a black dress and a white cloth over her head. '_Perfect_,' he thought, shook his head, and laughed up towards the sky at the Powers That Be. After a brief discussion with the driver he climbed into the passenger seat and they headed off to LA.

Before long they pulled up in front of the Hyperion Hotel. Spike thanked the nun and got out of the car. He took a moment to stare at the building. '_What if they're not here? What if they _didn't _make it?' ''Course they're here. Buffy's a survivor. If you couldn't kill her nothing will. Now stop being such a ponce and get in there and see for yourself.' _

He put on his resolve face and walked up to the front door. He wondered for a moment whether he should knock or just go in. He decided on the latter; it was a hotel after all. When he entered he found the lobby dark and empty, and the entire hotel was eerily silent.

"Hello?" he called in a semi-quiet voice. "Anybody home?"

There was no answer so he walked farther into the lobby. His hope of finding Buffy was quickly fading. There was a noise somewhere to his right so he followed it through a set of double doors into the kitchen. There he found someone rummaging through the fridge.

"Where's Angel?" he called out to the person, startling him. He jumped and spun to face Spike.

"Jesus," he said, "you could give a demon a heart attack sneaking around like that!"

"Who're you?" Spike asked suspiciously.

"I'm just a guy trying to eat." He replied. "You want Angel? Try Wolfram & Hart." He could see that Spike looked confused so he elaborated. "Big evil law firm downtown. You can't miss it."

"Uh, thanks," he replied and left the hotel. Out front he waved down a cab and told the driver to take him to Wolfram & Hart.

---

****

They pulled up in front of a glass building that towered up into the sky. The sign out front let him know he was in the right place so he got out of the cab and started walking towards the front door. The cab driver yelled after him, but he just ignored it.

He entered the lobby and wandered up to the front desk. _What would peaches be doing in a place like this?_ He tentatively spoke to the secretary.

"Uh, hi love. I'm here to see Angel." It was almost more of a question than a statement. She typed on her computer for a few seconds and then looked up at him, smiling.

"Fifth floor," she replied, pointing to the elevators behind her. "There'll be a secretary up there that will help you."

He thanked her and got into the elevator. Next to him were a blue demon wearing a business suit and a small, thin demon pushing a mail cart. They nodded at him. Shortly the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor. Spike slid out and walked into a large lobby. There were all sorts of people and demons walking around. To his left was a staircase, in front of him a row of doors, and to the right was a desk which he figured to be the secretary's he was supposed to see. Unfortunately there was no one at the desk at the moment.

"Angel," his ears perked up as a thin woman breezed past him. "You've got to see this." She walked through one of the doors along the front wall so he followed. Inside he found a very large office with very large windows. Also, Angel, two men, a green demon, and the thin woman were standing around talking. When he entered the room went silent.

"Spike?" Wes said softly.

"Spike." Angel was clearly not pleased with his arrival. Harmony, who had caught sight of a bleached blonde head on her way back to her desk, stuck her head in the door.

"Blondie Bear?" She put her hands on her hips. "What the hell are you doing here Spike?"

Gunn sneered, "This is Spike? _The_ Spike?"

"But you're dead," Angel told him matter-of-factly.

"Well, yeah," Harm gestured widely. "Who here isn't? Besides him, and him and her, and what are you again?" referring to Wes, Gunn, Fred, and Lorne.

"What _are_ you doing here, Spike? And how did you even get past the vampire security…" as the words came out of his mouth he realized something wasn't right. He could clearly hear five heartbeats in the room. _Five_. That meant…

"How did you… I mean, what… what happened? What did you do?" Angel was mumbling in shock and Spike was confused. He couldn't possibly tell he had a reflection yet. There weren't even any mirrors around.

"What do you mean?" he asked uncertainly. "_They_ told you…? Is Buffy here?"

"What do I mean?!" Angel replied. "I mean you're beating, you've got a heartbeat." He was so stunned that he could hardly form logical sentences. Spike laughed.

"No… I do have a reflection, though."

"You have a reflection?" Spike nodded. "And a heartbeat."

"Yeah, and you're soddin' Elvis Presley."

"I'm serious. You can't hear it?" Angel responded, his eyes narrowing. The thought of Spike having a heartbeat didn't sit to well with him.

"No, I can't hear it, 'cause its not there." Spike snapped. He was getting a bit annoyed. "I think I would know if I had a heartbeat or not. I can hear a bloody heartbeat from a mile away; I would certainly be able to hear my own!" Who did Angel think he was…?

"Oh my god," Harmony said from behind him. "He's right. You're… human." She looked repulsed and backed out of the office.

"Oh, will you stop with that?" Spike turned back to his grandsire. "I do not have a sodding heartbeat; I would hear it!" Angel sighed and grabbed Spike's hand, placing it on his throat. "Vampires don't have heartbeats," Spike protested as he felt his throat, just below his jaw. _Just like they don't have reflections, _the voice asked him rhetorically. "See? No… bloody hell." His eyes grew wide and his mouth hung open. He indeed, felt a steady 'lub-dub, lub-dub' under his fingers.

"Well, I, uh," Wes was dumbfounded. "I, I suppose we should run some tests, before we jump to any conclusions. Find out what's causing this, how long it will last, that sort of thing."

"Look, before you start pokin' and prodin' me, I did come here for a reason," Spike replied.

"Buffy," Angel stated.

"Yeah. She's here right? She made it out?"

"What?" Gunn was confused.

"Uh, yeah. She made it out," Angel told him. "But she's not here."

"Well, where is she then?"

"She's in Pine Grove. It's a little town north of here."

"Pine Grove? What the bloody hell is she doing there?"

"Well, that's where Summerland Academy is. You know, the new Council-Slayer school thing? She kinda runs it." Fred told him.

"What new Council-Slayer thing? What are you people talking about? The Council was destroyed a few weeks ago. We just bloody collapsed the hellmouth yesterday!" There were a few awkward looks in the room.

"Uh, Spike? The fight with the First was over three months ago." Angel told him cautiously. Spike looked surprised, to say the least.

---

****


	5. New Beginnings: chapter 5

- - -

"Wha…? Three months?" Angel nodded. Spike sat down in a chair and Angel began to tell him what had happened over the past three months.

"Buffy and her friends came to LA after the fight. They stayed at the Hyperion for maybe about a week, and then left to rebuild the Council. They found an old deserted boarding school in Pine Grove and decided to use that. They cleaned it up and remodeled it and now it's the new Council and school for all the new Slayers."

Spike was trying to process this information along with the fact that he had been gone for over three months. "And what about you? What is this place?"

"This is Wolfram & Hart," Harm supplied and Spike rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I noticed. What I mean is; why are you here? Thought this was a law firm."

"It is, among other things." Fred told him

**"**Also heard they represent the worst evil in the universe," Spike added.

"It did, among other things. But now I'm in charge." Angel stated.

"Are you now?" Spike asked. Angel and Spike glared at each other for a moment until Fred, noticing the tension, spoke up.

"Well, why don't I take Spike to my lab so we can run some tests and find out what happened?" Angel agreed and Spike and Fred went to the lab.

- - -

After completing a simple blood test, Fred determined that Spike was, in fact, 100% human. Spike was shocked, to say the least. The thought had obviously occurred to him before the test, but he didn't let himself believe it, just in case it wasn't true.

"You're sure about this, pet?" he questioned Fred again.

"Yes Spike. I am absolutely positive." She smiled at him. Just then Angel walked in.

"Hey, peaches, good news!" Spike started to brag. "I'm cured! You were right, I'm human." Angel's face fell.

"That's great Spike," he said sarcastically.

"It's amazing, really," Fred commented. "I've never heard of a vampire becoming human before. I wonder what caused it."

"Shanshu," Wesley said simply, walking up behind Angel. He turned and glared.

"No, that's not it."

"Angel…" Wes trailed off.

"What's going on? What's a 'shanshu'?" Spike looked back and forth between Angel and Wes.

"It's a Proto-Bantu word meaning life and death," Wes explained. "Essentially it is a prophecy stating that the vampire with a soul - once he fulfills his destiny - will become human."

"But that prophecy is not meant for him," Angel stated, growing increasingly angry.

"We don't know that," Fred said lightly. "The prophecy doesn't specify _which_ vampire with a soul."

"Yeah, how do you know it's not me it's talking about?" Spike questioned.

"Because, I do," he replied. Spike raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well obviously you're wrong. I mean look at me. I saved the bloody world, fulfilled my destiny, and I died! And now, three months later I'm human. Something brought me back."

"Well, it's something else."

"Can't accept it, can you? Sad, really. All these years believing you're the signified monkey, only to find out you're just a big hunk of nobody cares."

"I'm beginning to wish you'd stayed dead."

"But I didn't, did I? Burned up saving the world, and now I'm back for real. Wonder why that is? Oh, wait. 'Cause I'm the one, you git!"

"Look, we don't even know if the prophecy only means one of you," Fred interrupted. "You could both shanshu." They both looked at her doubtfully.

"Whatever it is, it's for good, right?" Spike asked and Fred nodded. "Well, that's all I need to know. Now if you'll excuse me." Spike started for the door but was blocked by Angel. Spike rolled his eyes.

"Don't you think we should run more tests?" Angel asked Fred. "Or Wes, maybe you could do some research and find out what really caused this."

Wes told Angel again that he believed shanshu was the cause, and the two began arguing. Spike used that as his opportunity to slip out unnoticed.

Back in the lobby of Wolfram & Hart, Spike approached Angel's office. He figured that an important job like CEO of Hell, Inc. came with perks, such as cars, so he looked around his desk for a set of keys. Sure enough, one of the drawers contained a couple key rings. He grabbed one and headed for the garage.

Once he got down there he pushed a key on the remote starter and nearby an engine roared to life. He grinned and climbed into the Viper.

- - -

A/N: Thanks for the great reviews so far! I will try to update as often as possible, but with school and everything I might be a little slow. I know its not really a BTVS season 8 yet, but it will get there! Keep reviewing so I know I should write more!


	6. New Beginnings: chapter 6

- - -

"I don't think I'm ready for this," Buffy sat at a table with a worried look on her face. Across from her Giles tried to assure her.

"Everything is set," he told her. "The slayers are here, the teachers are here, and the school is finished. Everything will be fine."

"Well what if there's an earthquake? Or what if there's zombie-ghosts haunting the school, or Andrew sets the kitchen on fire, or all the teachers come down with some strange disease and no one can teach, or…"

"Buffy, breathe," she was cut off by Xander. "We've checked everything at least three times."

"I know," she pouted. "It's just that when there's a chance for something to go wrong, it usually does."

- - -

By the time Spike arrived in Pine Grove the sun was just about up. He pulled the Viper up to the front of a large stone building and got out. As he climbed the front stairs he noticed a sign hanging above the front doors that read 'Summers Academy'. He took that as a good sign and went inside.

The hallway he entered was very calm and quiet. Strange, he thought, since school must be starting soon. As if on cue, a shrill bell sounded throughout the halls and the front door swung open. A flood of excited teenage girls poured in and within seconds Spike was surrounded. He fought his way to the right and jumped into the first door he saw, sighing with relief when he was safe.

"Spike?" He heard from behind him, and immediately recognized the voice.

"Oh, for the love of…" Spike began.

"Spike?" Andrew repeated and ran towards Spike, touching his shoulders. "It's you. It's really you!" He hugged Spike, sobbing. "My therapist thought I was holding onto false hope, but... I knew you'd come back. You're like... you're like Gandalf the White, resurrected from the pit of the Balrog, more beautiful than ever. Ohh... he's alive, Frodo. He's alive."

"Yes, it's uh, nice to see you, too," Spike said awkwardly, trying to be polite, before pushing away from Andrew. Andrew stepped back, sniffled, and straightened his clothes.

"Uh, so what happened? Last I heard you went all pillar of fire down in the hellmouth."

"Yeah, I did. But then I shanshu-ed." Spike explained.

"You lived and died?" Andrew asked, confused by the language.

"Hey, how'd you know that?" Spike asked, surprised.

"Master of demon languages, remember?" Andrew replied, pointing to himself.

"Right. Well, that's sort of right. It's a prophecy; turned me human."

"Human? Spike that's great!" Andrew moved to hug Spike again, but was pushed back. He composed himself and restated, "Uh, I mean, that's cool." He leaned back against a table, trying to act cool, and knocked over a stack of books. Spike rolled his eyes as Andrew rushed to fix the books. "Does Buffy know yet?"

"No, that's why I'm here. Do you know where she is?"

"Oh, yeah. She's around here somewhere." He motioned to the door and Spike followed. As the two left the classroom, Vi and Rona noticed the bleached blonde immediately and started talking about it. A couple of girls next to them heard them talking, and soon word of Spike's return began to spread.

- - -

A/N: sorry for the short chapter. i just wanted to get something up, but hopefully i'll get more done soon. thanks for the great reviews!


	7. New Beginnings: chapter 7

- - -

Willow was bringing a box of supplies to the magic lab when she saw it.  She had just rounded the corner into the main hallway and immediately her eyes were drawn to the white-blonde head and leather jacket.  She nearly dropped her box in shock.

"Spike?" she managed, incredulously, as he approached with Andrew.

"Red," he replied with a grin.  "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I, uh… but… how…?" she mumbled.

"There's this prophecy, it's a long story," he told her.

"Oh," Andrew interrupted looking at his watch.  "I gotta run.  I told Giles I'd help him in the library.  I'll see you guys later."  He walked to the left and went down the hallway Willow had just come from. 

"You're human?!" Willow asked, surprising Spike again.  At his confused look she explained, "I can see your aura.  When I turned all the potentials into slayers it really heightened my abilities." He nodded.

"Yeah, it's part of the prophecy," he told her.  "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm really looking for Buffy."

"Oh, of course," Willow replied.  Buffy had gone through a lot after the final battle and Willow knew that she would want to see him as soon as possible.  "I haven't seen her though.  Sorry."

Spike looked frustrated.  "Alright, I'll just keep looking," he turned to the right and walked down the hallway opposite of where Andrew went.

- - -

 Buffy was already having a bad day – and it was only 7:30am.  She hadn't been able to sleep at all the night before because she was so nervous, she burned her eggs this morning and didn't have time to make anything else so she didn't have breakfast, and now she was late for her first class.  To top it all off Andrew was calling her name, and that was never a good thing.

"Buffy," he repeated louder from behind her.  She sighed as he appeared at her side.

"What is it Andrew?"  He had been running to catch up to her and was out of breath.

"I… have some… important…," he was cut off by Buffy.

"Look Andrew, I'm having a bad day and I'm late for training.  I really don't have time for this."  When Andrew had something "important" to tell her it was usually the farthest thing from important.

"But this is serious this time," he whined.

"Is there a fire somewhere?  Is someone dying?"  He shook his head.  "Well then, it's not important right now."  They were approaching the gym.  "I have to go."  With that she walked towards the gym doors.

"But… wait!" he called after her, but it was too late.  She had already disappeared into the gym.

- - -


	8. New Beginnings: chapter 8

---

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a long time.  I just got a new job so everything has been a little crazy but I should be able to write more often now.  Thanks to everyone for the great reviews so far!  Keep them coming!

---

Spike had made it about 50 feet before he ran into Faith.

"Whoa, doesn't any one stay dead around here?" she joked.  

"Good to see you too, Faith."

"Hey, c'mon," she started, "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know," he smiled to show he was just teasing.  "Have you seen Buffy?"

"No, actually.  She's supposed to be in the gym to help with training, but she hasn't showed yet."  Spike frowned.  He was getting impatient.  "I'm headed there now if you want to come," she offered.

_Better than just wandering around, _he thought and agreed.  Spike followed Faith back the way he had just come, and the Slayerettes around him stared and whispered.  A second bell sounded letting everyone know they had five minutes to get to class so the girls started dispersing.

---

Buffy was in the front of the gym stretching when the girls started to file in.  They found spots on the floor and continued gossiping excitedly.  The third bell rang, signaling the start of first period.  Buffy tried to get the girls to quiet down. 

"Alright everyone, please get in lines," she called out.  There was no response.  She cleared her throat and tried again, louder this time.  Still no movement.  "Girls!" she finally shouted, and finally getting their attention.  "Will someone please tell me what is so important that you cannot pay attention?"

They were silent, and Rona simply pointed behind Buffy, where they were all staring.  Buffy spun around to find herself face-to-face with Spike.

---

"The First," it was a mix of a statement and a question.  Her logic told her the First had no reason to be here, but on the other hand, Spike was dead.  What other explanation could there be?  She was about to find out.  Faith entered the gym behind Spike. 

"Yo, B, look who I found," she was smirking.  Just then Willow came in behind them.

"Buffy, Spike is…" she blurted, but then noticed the ex-vampire standing beside her.  "Here.  Oh."  Buffy's eyes grew wide and she looked back and forth between Willow and what looked like Spike.

"There was some sort of a prophecy," Willow began, looking to Spike.  He was frozen in place, staring intently into Buffy's eyes.  He wanted to say something, tell her how he felt, tell her everything.  But he couldn't.  She was just so beautiful and he couldn't believe he was actually seeing her again. 

Willow continued, "A vampire with a soul, when his destiny was fulfilled, would be turned human.  Well, apparently Spike's destiny was to save the world, which he did.  So now…  he's human."  This caught Spike's attention; he hadn't told her that.  "I can hear what you're thinking, remember?" she explained.

Buffy couldn't believe what she was hearing.  Spike was really back?  And he was _human_?  She had spent the last three months trying to accept the fact that he was gone and move on with her life.  Now this?  It was too much for her to handle, so she did what she did best when she was overwhelmed.  She ran.

Before anyone could stop her, Buffy turned and ran toward the side door of the gym.  Spike followed immediately, noticing that he had retained some of his vampire speed.  He went through the doors and found himself in a garden.  Scanning the grounds, he spotted Buffy sitting on a bench with her head in her hands.  He slowly walked up and sat next to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.  She wiped her eyes and looked up at him.

"Is it… really you?" she asked timidly.  He nodded and smiled.  She smiled too.  "I'm sorry I ran.  It was just a little overwhelming, ya know?  I mean it was so hard for me to accept that you were really gone, but I finally had.  With the school opening and everything I felt like I could finally move on with my life.  And then you show up.  Seeing you again just brought back so many emotions; it was too much."

"It's alright, love.  I understand."  She was staring at him strangely.  "What?"

"You're in the sunlight," she said, amazed.  He grinned. 

---


	9. New Beginnings: chapter 9

---

A little while later Spike and Buffy walked, hand-in-hand, into the library, where Andrew was telling the rest of the Scooby gang about Spike's return. Dawn stood up as they entered.

"Is it really him?" she asked hopefully. Buffy nodded and Dawn ran to Spike and hugged him.

Andrew, Giles, Xander, and Anya remained seated around a big table in the center of the room. Spike, Buffy, Dawn, and Willow joined the rest of the group at the table. Faith had returned to the gym to finish training with the Slayerettes and Wood was in the Principal's office.

"Good to have you back," Giles told Spike, and he nodded at the watcher. As much as Giles didn't like Spike, he still acknowledged that he had saved the world. Plus, if the Power's That Be could forgive Spike's past faults by turning him human, he could try to as well, at least for Buffy's sake.

"You're gonna stay here with us now, right?" Dawn asked hopefully.

"'Course I will, Bit," he told her and she smiled. "If that's alright with big sis, that is." He turned to Buffy.

"Of course," she replied. "You'll probably want a tour of the place, then."

"I'll do it!" Dawn offered excitedly. Buffy smiled, and Dawn grabbed Spike's hand and dragged him out of the library.

---

"As you may have noticed, this is our new Council and Slayer school," Dawn began as they walked down the hallway, trying to sound professional. She had given this tour to many potential Council members. "We named it Summers Academy, as tribute to the best and oldest slayer, and because, well, Scooby School just sounded ridiculous. It seems like a private, all-girl boarding school to the public, which is partly accurate. However, the Slayerettes attend Slayer training as well as their regular classes."

Spike nodded, trying to take in everything Dawn was telling him. She could talk a little fast when she was excited.

"The building is rectangular in shape with two floors, and hallways running along each wall. Another hallway divides each floor in half, and on the first floor leads from the main entrance to the back doors." They approached a set of double doors. This is the cafeteria. It's really just a big dining room attached to the kitchen, which is in here." She led him through the room to another set of double doors on the left hand wall. "There's only about 50 Slayerettes at the school so far. We tried to find more of them over the summer, but we were busy with getting this school ready, too. We're gonna try harder now that it's open."

They made a loop around the kitchen and Spike grabbed an apple off of the center island. Then they headed out a door and back into the hallway. Ahead of them was a hallway which ran across the back of the building and was perpendicular to the one they were just in.

"On your right are the elevators and bathrooms, and on your left we have a laboratory classroom. Most of the classrooms are in the middle of the building and on the second floor."

They walked further down the hallway, passing the center hallway, and came to the Main Office. Inside was a secretary's desk and behind that, a door that led to the Principal's office.

"Robin is in the Principal's office right now, so I'm not sure if you want to skip that or not." Dawn told him, referring to the incident in Wood's workshop.

"Yeah we can see that later," Spike told her and they moved on. They walked to the far left side of the building and outside to the garden area in which Buffy had been earlier.

"There are lots of gardens on the grounds. We wouldn't let Andrew help with much over the summer so he got bored and took up gardening." She motioned to the right of the property where a large three story building sat. "That's the dorm. There are twenty rooms on each floor, and they hold two people each. Right now Willow, Andrew, Faith, and Robin are living in some of the larger rooms on the third floor."

"What about the rest of you?" Spike asked.

"Well, there are two houses on campus," she pointed to the left corner of the campus. "We think they were probably the Principal and Vice Principal's houses from when this was a real boarding school."

They followed a path into a small wooded area, where two two-floor houses came into view. They were fairly small with porches in the front. The one on the left was white and the one on the right was blue.

"Me and Buffy live in the white one, and Xander and Anya live in the blue one. They made up after they saw what Buffy went through when you… you know." There was an awkward pause.

"What about Giles? Where's he live?" Spike asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, he bought a house down the road from here. He said he was too old to be living around young people all the time," she told him doing her Giles impression. "So I guess you'll live with us now. It's only a two bedroom, but I don't think Buffy will mind sharing." She grinned and winked at him, and he felt his face get hot.

"Ooh, you're blushing! Bet that's a new thing for you, since you know, your heart does that beating thing again." He nodded sheepishly.

"Hey, why aren't you in class with the rest of the girls?" he asked, just realizing that she wasn't.

"I'm going to go to normal, public school. It doesn't start 'til tomorrow."

"What, Slayer didn't think her school was good enough for you?" he asked.

"No, it was actually my idea. I mean I love all this Slayer/demon fighting stuff, but I wanted to meet some normal friends too." Spike nodded and the two walked up the stairs to the front porch of the Summers' house and then went inside.Back at the school, the rest of the day continued on much less eventfully.

---

Later that night Buffy slept peacefully for the first time in almost a year. Spike slept on the couch though because, even though she loved him, Buffy wasn't quite ready to sleep with him again.

While the Summers Academy campus was enjoying a peaceful, quiet night, many miles away something very unusual was happening. All of a sudden a purple flash of light appeared against the night sky, and it disappeared just as quickly. However, as it faded a dark figure was revealed. The figure stood for a moment, wavered, and then fell to the ground with a groan.

---


	10. Episode 3: The Haunting

The next morning Dawn woke up to the smell of bacon. She showered, got dressed, and went downstairs to find Buffy cooking pancakes and Spike making coffee.

"It's about time you got up," Buffy chastised when she saw her sister come in the kitchen. She pushed a plate of pancakes at her. "What are those?" she asked, looking at Dawn's feet.

"Boots," Dawn retorted. "I got them with Faith the other day." She looked down at her tan suede, knee-high boots.

"Figures. Do you even know how to walk in stilettos?"

"Yes," Dawn replied, making a face at her sister.

"Morning Bit," Spike said. "Coffee?"

"No thanks," she said and poured herself a glass of grape juice. She took her breakfast into the living room and switched on the tv.

"Aren't you getting a little old for cartoons?" Buffy called to Dawn. Dawn stuck her tounge out, but Buffy was too busy in the kitchen to notice. "Hurry up and finish your breakfast. You're gonna be late on your first day." Buffy added. Dawn shoveled the food into her mouth.

"What's her problem?" she asked Spike, who had joined her in front of the tv. He shrugged and sipped his coffee.

"Dawn! Come on!" Buffy called again. Dawn sighed and finished her last half of a pancake in one bite. She picked up her dishes and headed back into the kitchen, but it was harder to walk in her new boots than she expected. Her left ankle bent the wrong way and she fell ungracefully to the floor, spilling syrup and grape juice all over the cream-colored carpet. Buffy rushed in when she heard the niose.

"Dawn!" Buffy shrieked.

"I know, I'm sorry!" Dawn replied and gathered the dishes off the floor. "Hey, I didn't get anything on the boots!"

Buffy gave her a withering stare as she scrubbed at the grape juice. She sighed, "This is never going to come out."

"You ok?" Spike asked when Dawn was in the other room.

"Yeah," she replied. "Just a little stressed. I have class in twenty minutes and I still have to get Dawn to school, plus we just located a slayer in New York..." she rambled.

"I'll take Dawn to school," Spike offered.

"Really?" Buffy replied gratefully. Dawn came back in the living room with her backpack on. "Ok, good luck, don't get in trouble, and call me if you see any zombie-ghosts or demons or anything," Buffy told her sister.

"Got it." Dawn checked her outfit once more in the mirror. In addition to her new boots, she was wearing a tan tweed mini skirt and a white long sleeve shirt with a long green beaded necklace. She called goodbye to her sister and bounced out the front door.

About ten minutes later the Viper pulled up outside of Pine Grove High School. Spike pulled into one of the parking lots and shut off the car.

"What are you doing?" Dawn asked alarmed.

"I'm gonna check the place out, make sure there's no big bads hiding out," Spike replied.

"No, you're not," Dawn told him. "This is my chance to start over, and not have people think I'm a freak. What if someone sees you? How am I supposed to explain you? No one else's parents have to check out the school." She ranted to Spike, hoping he would feel bad for her and just go home. "Please?" she added for good measure and stuck out her bottom lip.

Spike sighed, "Alright. But if this school is full of demons you're gonna have to explain it to big sis."

- - -

"Here you go, honey," Xander said as he placed a plate of pancakes in front of Anya. She thanked him with a kiss on the cheek. He then grabbed a plate for himself and sat down across from her. He looked across the table at her and watched her.

"What?" she asked through a mouthful.

"Nothing," he replied w/ a shy smile. "I just can't believe I almost lost you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't made it out of that school."

"Xander," she began, but he cut her off.

"No, I'm serious. I love you so much. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without you." He paused for dramatic effect. "Anya, I…"

He was cut off by a sudden knock at the front door. He sighed. "Come in."

"Good morning," Buffy called as she went inside, and joined Xander and Anya at their kitchen table. "Ooh, pancakes!"

"Good morning," Anya replied, feigning politeness and pulling her pancakes closer to her. Xander smiled at his best friend and got up to grab her a plate.

"Thanks, Xand. I didn't have time to cook this morning. Dawn spilled grape juice all over our living room carpet." He handed her a plate. "Which is kinda what brings me by. Do you think you could help me pull up the carpet when you have some time?" She flashed him her puppy dog eyes.

"Yeah sure, I'm free all afternoon."

---

Dawn had been to the main office, gotten her class schedule, and had now found her locker. So far everything in the school seemed normal. She opened her locker and put her backpack inside. Grabbing a notebook and her purse, she turned to go to her first class and accidentally ran right into a tall blonde boy.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said and looked up to see his face. He had beautiful blue eyes, she thought.

"No problem," the cute boy smiled at her as he followed his friends. Dawn turned to stare after him. A bell rang, snapping her back to reality. She ran to her class, as fast as she could in stiletto heels.

---


End file.
